External window surrounds - quoins

[BlackAlys]

My renovation project is an old late 1800's stone cottage.

Past modernisation has included the addition of brick quoins to finish the window. Mine are currently yellow and purple and I loathe them.

Due to time and a quickly dwindling budget, it now looks like I have to keep them (I originally wanted natural stone quoins put in to have a natural stone 'face' to the house). As a result, I'm going to have to cancel the order for cream dash windows as they won't work against the yellowing quoins.

A similar house in a nearby village has the same stone front but with red brick quoins, with a grey sash window. It works really well.

Can I paint quoins? Has anyone ever done this? Will it look crap?!

Hopeful bump

Well that's quite elaborate and optional detail, not many people will have experience, I don't think. I had to Google to even understand the question. I think you need to post in more niche, DIY / builder's forums, or ask friends & family that you suspect might have the knowledge.

Thought as much. Will do. Thank you.

Quoins are usually the stones on the edge of walls at corners. The bits at the windows are called mullions.

If they are brick I'd paint them with Masonry paint.

@TimetohittheroadJack

Quoins are usually the stones on the edge of walls at corners. The bits at the windows are called mullions.

If they are brick I'd paint them with Masonry paint.

Thanks!

Up til earlier I was calling them 'coins' 🤦‍♀️

I'm learning!

You can easily paint with masonry paint. Why don’t you paint them white and keep the white sash windows, they are much nicer than grey which might look a bit dated in a few years.

Are they definitely proper inbuilt quoins and not added on top of the brickwork? If the latter presumably they could be removed, and if the former I assume they can be painted like any other masonry/render. Is the property listed?

I think if you paint them white you'll notice a brighter feel through the windows too. We had ours done a year or so ago and I'm surprised to notice the difference.

I notice round here (central Scotland) that most rural properties have a light colour painted around the windows, and wonder if this is the reason.